The twenty something life

Lifestyle

November has been a busy one. It kicked off with a 50th birthday party close to home for a family friend. The night had all the usual things you would expect, from cheesy music to drunken dancing and a standard party buffet.

The next evening was bonfire night where we gathered at some friends for fireworks and drinks. Despite the pretty miserable weather we had a fun night, followed suitably by a sore head the next day. I’ve never been a big fan of fireworks, think I’m a bit of a wuss when it comes to the risk of an AWOL home firework. However, when it comes to displays like those at Disney Parks I’m like a child at Christmas!

My uncle and his dog came over from Lytham St Anne’s on the Sunday for a roast and to watch the football. It’s always good to see them! They also returned on the last weekend of the month for another visit 🙂

On Tuesday 11th I went to see Sean Paul in concert with a few friends at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse. It was a Jamaican themed evening, with supporting artists such as Chi-Ching Ching. Although the venue was extremely busy and rather hot we were still able to throw some shapes to his classics, including Temperature, We Be Burnin’ and Get Busy.

On Armistice day we watched a war film called Hacksaw Ridge about an American conscientious objector in World War 2 who served his country as a frontline medic during their fight against Japan. A true story, it was emotional to watch ahead of Remembrance Sunday.

On Remembrance Sunday we watched the ceremony at the cenotaph in London on TV, as we do every year. We then went to meet Ady’s family for a Sunday carvery at The Rose n’ Bowl in Bacup for his sister’s birthday. Honestly, I have never seen so much meat on one plate! An ex serviceman, his grandad had spent 2 weeks prior collecting for the Poppy Appeal. He got to lay a wreath at his local memorial in Ramsbottom before we went out – a proud moment.

The following week I accepted a job offer with a large sports company to work for the digital department at their head office near to home. This lead to a very sad departure at my current place of work, where I have been supporting them part time since starting my Masters dissertation earlier this year. It seems I will largely be remembered for my karaoke efforts going off the messages in the card I was given!

Before starting my new job I thought it would be a good opportunity to go and visit my good friend in London. I’d been saying I’ll go for months and hadn’t yet gotten around to it. I decided to save money and take the Megabus. Besides I could get round to things I’ve been putting off on the almost 6 hour journey – haha. The main things we got up to were drinks at Pergola and a trip to the Christmas markets around London that were open at the time. I don’t get chance to visit the capital often so it was great to go down and enjoy the festivities nice and early.

I returned home late on the Thursday evening feeling ready for rest, especially since the bus broke down and we were delayed. The next morning I got up and ready to go to Knowsley Safari Park with another close friend as his birthday treat. I was determined to make the most of the days I had left before starting full time on the Monday. We had such a fun day! The animals were largely still active despite the cold and we were able to keep warm in the comfort of the car.

We finished a pleasant day with a visit to TGI Friday’s in Prestwich. My friend and I had been joking for years about whether or not I could finish a full rack of ribs and sides. And here’s the result…

…My meal totalled a staggering 3,800 calories! And that was with diet coke.

Then later we went for a few drinks close to home. I refrained from eating more.

After a weekend of life admin like sorting house insurance and filling out tax returns the big day arrived and it was time to make that great first impression. It’s always nerve racking starting a new job. Meeting new people in new surroundings with a new work culture to get to grips with.

I can confirm that my first day was great and I am settling in well! The team are very welcoming and the role is interesting. It’s nice to be able to work in a role that puts the skills I developed in my Masters into use – makes it all seem worth while.

This month we also got to hang out with friends and order takeaway, and we met gorgeous baby Rupert Samuel, born to good friends of ours. How cute!

After a busy month I’m looking forward to a career and family focussed December. I need to get saving as there’s lots of family birthdays over the festive period too! The next time I’ll be updating you on my goings on will be in the New Year. 2018 – Yikes! Until then….

Although I’m only in my mid 20’s I’ve had a number of jobs and experienced working with different types and sizes of companies. I’ve been in a position where I’ve been able to pick between more than one offer and also where I’ve been stuck wondering what the heck my next move should be.

I think in the UK we are too bothered about having the perfect CV with no blemishes. It’s like we should look like we’ve never made a decision that wasn’t right for us. It’s not practical and it just does not reflect real life!

Finding the role for you

It’s a good idea to start off by thinking of the factors that are most important to you in a job. This could include, for example, working hours, salary bracket, location, and the industry etc. These are all things that can be filtered within popular job websites when performing a search.

Careers advisors

One of the best pieces of advice I could give anyone thinking of a career move is to speak to a careers advisor. They can help you understand which career path could be the best for you based on your skills, qualifications and what it is you think you would enjoy from a role. They can also help you to improve your CV in order to create a great first impression with employers. You could start by checking out the National Careers Service, a UK Gov website that provides information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work.

Recruitment agencies

In terms of the search itself I have found speaking to a few different recruitment agencies is extremely helpful. They get to know you and your CV and work with hundreds of employers to find the best employees for jobs they are advertising. It also takes away the hard work of applying direct and filling out endless forms. They basically work on commission for finding candidates for employers, so it’s in their interest to secure you a job and one that you are likely to stay in too. There can however be conflicts of interest whereby some recruiters are more interested in keeping the paying employers happy than the candidates, who can be deemed as replaceable. A simple Google search for local recruitment agencies could be a good place to start.

Speculative applications

There’s also no harm in speculative applications. This is how I secured my role with a digital marketing agency. Is there a company you really want to work for? Why not think about articulating why you want to work for them and conduct some research about the company to tailor an application. I read somewhere that most jobs are not advertised, so although it may seem like a waste of time there’s a chance that the company would admire your ambition and appreciate the effort you made to get in contact. Plus there’s going to be less people going for a job that does not exist on paper yet… so less competition! In fact, this is how I secured my previous job with a digital marketing agency.

Getting started in a new job

I recently started a new job and it got me thinking about how daunting this can be for people, especially if they are new to the world of work or perhaps haven’t worked for a while. Although it’s exciting, It’s also a time of uncertainty. Will I be welcomed and get along with the people? Will I be able to do the tasks that I am set and pick things up as quickly as expected? These are just some of the things that can cross the mind of a new starter.

I have compiled a quick list of things I think can help you settle straight into a new role:

*Make an effort to introduce yourself to people you will not only work closely with but others around the place too. This will immediately make it look as though you care about the people you will be working with and that you want to get to know them. They will straight away be more inclined to help you settle in and become part of the team.

*Why not take in some treats and send an email round saying you got treats for your first day? Leave them on your desk to encourage people to come and talk to you. After all people love free food.

*Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It shows you are keen to understand more and helps you to learn things in your own way. Maybe just avoid asking the same question if possible.

*If you feel like you’re not picking up something quickly enough speak out to your manager. They will be able to reassure you and hopefully provide you with additional support where it is needed. They took you on and they don’t want to see you struggle or fail.

*Where possible try and put more time in than the 9-5. If you are able to dedicate a bit more time than your set working hours to a new job when you first start you are showing dedication and hard work straight away. You can use this extra time to learn anything you think may help in your role, such as brushing up on your Microsoft Excel skills if that is something you will be using in your job.

Most importantly, don’t worry if a job is not right for you. The worse thing you could do if you were unhappy for a while in a job is to ignore the feeling and keep doing something that is not fulfilling. I’m not saying throw caution to the wind and quit because obviously we can’t all just do that. But there’s no reason you can’t start the search for your potential next move. It can give you something to focus on and to feel hope for a more career fulfilled future.

We spend most of our lives working so we should be doing something that interests us and makes us happy!

I’ve had lots going on at the weekends but have unfortunately been ill for the entire month with a chest infection.

The main highlight of my month was the Sam’s Gift Great Gatsby Ball, which saw hundreds of the charity’s supporters gather together for an evening of fundraising, fine dining and dancing at The Midland Hotel in Manchester.

Im glad to say as the charity’s biggest annual event it was a fantastic evening and I’m looking forward to the announcement of the total amount raised, as well as the release of the official event photos, of course!

Meanwhile I managed to get some quick snaps…

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The day after Ady and I went to his Auntie and Uncle’s in Rainford for a recovery family roast. Thoroughly enjoyed by all!…

In other news I spent time with my cousin and her new born.

She practiced this look on me ahead of Halloween!

I also got chance to catch up with good friends over drinks.

A busy November lies ahead, with a new job to start, bonfire night, Sean Paul concert and more!

It’s so frustrating! When you’re just trying to get on with your day but you constantly have to blow your nose, you have no energy and you can’t breathe properly when trying to sleep.

I rarely get ill, so when I do it really bothers me. I try to take steps to avoid picking up the latest bugs going around and as they’re usually successful, I thought I would share them:

I start the day off with a drink of Effervescent Vitamin C that I buy from Tesco. It’s actually quite tasty and helps to boost your immune system. Make sure you get the one that includes Zinc for the best support.

Then I make sure I drink plenty of water to help flush the kidneys of toxins.

I also like to carry a bottle of hand sanitiser. It’s a good idea to sanitise your hands after handling communal things like train handles and things in the kitchen of the workplace. You can also use it after shaking someone’s hand. I use the Carex Moisture Plus Hand Gel, it’s portable and stops your hands from getting dry in winter months.

If you feel a cold coming on, sleeping with the window ajar helps keep fresh air circulating in the room.

Each night I try and make sure I get at least 8 hours of sleep, as if you are tired your body can’t fight as hard.

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I also pay to get the flu jab. I’ve heard that if you get the flu jab every year you pick up colds less and less over time.

Other than that eating your 5 a day fruit and vege and exercising regularly helps to keep your body fighting fit.

When it comes to makeup, if I’m being honest I don’t make much of an effort. I just use moisturiser, foundation, concealer and mascara for my daily routine.

Although, if I’m feeling extra glam I will put some eyebrow gel, eye shadow, contour kit and maybe some lipstick on. This is strictly reserved for nights out otherwise I just don’t have the time. Who has an hour a day to put their makeup on anyway?!

In recent years there has been a significant rise in popularity of makeup artists, following increased use of social platforms like Instagram where images of flawless celebs dominate. Young girls and women aspire to achieve that professional makeup look.

My cousin, Kayleigh Grace, is an amazing MUA. She somehow manages to make my face look flawless – not a blemish in sight.In fact she is the only person I trust to do my makeup…

Millennial Natalie – Kayleigh Grace MUA Before and After

As you can see from this before and after she really does a great job.

Having my makeup done always gives me a confidence boost and makes me feel better. I definitely recommend it when you want to treat yourself for special occasions. Plus it gives you one less thing to have to do when getting ready.

Kayleigh is based near Manchester and also does mobile appointments. Check out the Kayleigh Grace Facebook page. She has over 3,600 likes! There’s plenty of pictures to see examples of her work.

Here’s another picture of me from last year with the glam Glitter Lips look…

Millennial Natalie with makeup done for charity ball

With a rise in the number of beauty salons offering makeup services, be sure to check out their work online and see what other people have to say before booking an appointment.

University

There’s some exciting news to follow about this, as my supervisor would like me to present what I did to people in the local digital marketing agency community.

Work social

I went on a work social to Roxy Ballroom in Manchester. It was great fun! Much prefer getting stuck into activities like table tennis, beer pong and pool on a night out than just drinking at the bar. It also ended with a merry trip to a karaoke bar, where we all suitably embarrassed ourselves – which included a spontaneous rendition of Eminem’s Without Me from myself (guilty pleasure).

Roxy Ballroom Manchester

An old friend

My oldest friend came back to Manchester from London for the weekend to celebrate her birthday. It was great to catch up with her!

Although, I managed to break my phone screen for the second time in one month, having never broken a phone in my life. I blame the Samsung Galaxy Edge that I bought recently – it’s so slippery and seems to damage very easily.

A trip to Alton Towers

The following Monday I went on a long overdue trip to Alton Towers theme park with my cousin. Although we got stuck in traffic on the way, the weather held out and the queues were minimal. Having grown up together, my cousin and I enjoyed reminiscing about past times at Alton Towers and other theme parks. We also enjoyed a day of cheat food, from a Mc Donald’s breakfast, to chicken wraps, pizza, donuts and a Costa Coffee. I really ought to stop eating out so much. Anyway, we managed to get on all the big rides and still make it home before rush hour, after an obligatory trip to the gift shop of course.

Alton Towers Entrance

Oblivion at Alton Towers

Other things

I bought my outfit ahead of a charity ball I am going to in October, in aid of a close friend of my partner and I who sadly lost his battle with cancer aged just 22. It’s a 1920’s Gatsby theme so should be an interesting event. More to follow on this.

I also booked tickets to Sean Paul for November (cheesy I know). Let’s hope that will live up to expectations.

To close the month, a good friend of mine arranged an evening out in Manchester, where we went bowling and grabbed some food at All Star Lanes, followed by an alcohol fuelled late night at Panacea. Needless to say, the following day was spent feeling sorry for ourselves.

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With lots to come I look forward to sharing the goings on of October with you. Let’s hope I can shake this cold off ASAP.

Well I have finally done it, I’ve gotten around to starting a blog. *3 cheers*

I’m very excited to start sharing my thoughts with you!

So, last month I completed a Masters in Digital Marketing Communications at Manchester Metropolitan Business School. Inspired by my course, it totally made sense for me to join the blogging world. And here I am.

Manchester worker bee represents Manchester being the rebirth of the industrial revolution

I currently work part time at a digital content marketing agency in Manchester. As part of my role I work on blogger engagement campaigns with a host of clients. This has allowed me to work with some amazing bloggers and I’m keen to get a piece of the blogging action.

I can get lost reading blogs, before I know it I’m 8 pages deep exploring and generally having a great time. It’s a handy way to get things off your chest, make friends with people who you would not normally get the chance to and improve your writing skills. Not to mention, it gives me a chance to see things from a bloggers perspective and learn new things about the industry.

I’m not too sure what my blog is going to focus on yet but I am looking forward to sharing with you the things that I’m getting up to and the everyday thoughts I have. Expect to hear about travel, food and lifestyle, though.

Here’s a recent picture of me on a night out with friends. Although, I’ve had my make up done here so I don’t usually look as polished…

Millennial Natalie

I’m keen to make friends in the blogging world so give me a follow and maybe even share some of your tips if you’re feeling extra kind!